Safety-balloonette for boats and the like.



T. P. BROOKE.

SAFETY BALLOONETTE FOR BOATS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 2.1917.

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THOMAS P. BROOKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROOKE AIRCRAFT COMPANY, .A CORPORATION 013 DELAWARE.

SAFETY-BALLOONETTE FOR BOATS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 2, 1917. Serial No. 146,251.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, TI-IoMAs P. Bnoonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Balloonettes for Boats and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in boats, but more particularly to safety de vices therefor, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved balloonette adapted to be incorporated or arranged within the boat body to be protected thereby, and which will, should the body of the boat become crushed or injured, serve to buoy up the boat and prevent the same from sinking.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character by means of the use of which the necessity of building or constructing air and liquid tightcompartments within the boat body for the purpose of preventing the same from sinking will be obviated, and the compartments for the reception *of the balloonettes may be constructed of comparatively light walls.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which may be inflated when desired to cause it to fill the compartment, and which may be readily removed from the compartment when deflated for inspection purposes and also for inspection of the compartment.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention and in which Figure 1 is a view of a boat body, partly in side elevation and partly in section, con structed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View of one of the compartments showing a balloonette in position therein.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the balloonettes.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5%, Flg. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates generally a boat body having a compartment 11 in the bow thereof and compartments 12 in the rear portion thereof. I

The compartments 11 and 12 are formed in any desired or suitable manner, with the walls of the boat body, preferably by means of light partitions 13 which may be of lattice work construction or of any desired or suitable construction which will hold the adjacent balloonettes separated from each other.

Arranged within each of the compartments is a sack 14 constructed of any suitable flexible water and air proof material, and the sack conforms in shape to the shape of the compartment in which it is to be ar ranged, and is of a size that when inflated will substantially fill the compartment. The sack is provided with an inflation valve 15 by means of which it may be inflated, and if desired, although it is not necessary, a casing 16 may be provided for the sack. This casing may be of any desired size with respect to'the sack,but is preferably of a size slightly smaller than the size of the sack when the latter is inflated so that the walls of the sack will be relieved of the pressure of the air within the sack and which pressure will be exerted upon the walls of the casing 16.

Each of the compartments is provided with an opening 17 through which the sack may be inserted into and removed from the compartment and through which opening access may be readily had to the inflation valve 15. After the sack has been inflated, the infla- Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

tion valve 15 may be forced within the compartment as shown in Fig. 3 and a closure 18 will close the opening 17.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that should the boat become crushed or broken, the balloonettes will prevent the same from sinking and as the sacks are constructed of flexible material, they will yield when exterior pressure is exerted thereon and the sacks will be prevented from becoming punctured. Furthermore, very light partitions may be employed to separate thesacks and this not only reduces the cost of manufacture but also results in a light, strong but durable structure.

While the preferred form of the invention is herein shown and described it is to be understood that many changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is also to be understood that this invention is well adapted for use in flying boats.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a boat body having a compartment therein, a flexible airtight and liquid proof sack therein, means whereby said sack may be inflated to cause the sack to substantially fill the compartment, the said sack being of the same shape as the interior of the compartment, and

ing being of a size slightly less than the sack whereby the walls of the sack will be relieved of the airpressure therein by the casing exterior of the sack.

3'. The combination of a boat body having. a compartment therein, a plurality of sacks in the compartment, said sacks hav ing substantially the'same shape as the in- Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

terior of the compartment, a partition constructed of light material and disposed intermediate adjacent sacks and within the compartment, means whereby each of the sacks may be inflated tosubstantially fill the portion of the compartment occupied by the respective sacks, and means whereby the said partition will be relieved of the air pressure within the sacks.

4. The combination of a boat body having a compartment therein, a plurality of sacks in the compartment, said sacks having substantially the same shape as the interior of the compartment, apartition constructed of light material and disposed intermediate adjacent sacks and within the compartment, means whereby each of the sacks may be inflated to, substantially 'fill the portion of the compartment occupied by the respective sacks, and a casing; inclosing each of the sac-ks, said casing being of a size slightly less than the sacks. whereby the Walls of the sack and the partition will be relieved of the air pressure therein, by the casing exterior of the sacks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day of January, A. D. 1917.

THOMAS P. BROOKE.

' WVitnesses: v I

IRMA M. BAKING, J. P. JOGI-IUMLJI';

Washington,D.0. p v 

